Thanks once again to everybody for being patient and sending me positive reviews. This story was nominated for an award for keeping Mikey in character, which really meant a lot to me because I try really hard to keep him in character as much as possible while writing a romance story for him. Congrats to the others who were nominated as well!

Chapter 24: Loss

The distance sounds of city traffic continued as if nothing had happened. Birds that had grown silent moments ago filled the winter air with their chorus of whistles like all was well in the world. Snowflakes persisted in falling and layering the park in an ivory sheet, bringing with it what should have been a sense of peace and tranquility on the day that had started out so jovial, and had proceeded to be so until the past few moments occurred. For Mikey, the world he'd once viewed as euphoric had briskly metamorphosed into a dismal place of hurt and self-doubt, making him feel like a bigger failure than ever before.

Noelle was gone.

Just minutes ago they'd been ice skating together. She'd stood in his arms, and he'd never felt more complete, as if he'd found a part of himself in her. Mikey didn't quite understand enough to state if he was in love or not, but he knew that he did love her. They were best friends who brought the best out in each other; she was the first to believe in him and not think of him as some idiot, and now she was gone.

He sat on his knees, cerulean eyes widened in disbelief as he stared up at the spot where the ship had been merely seconds before, where he'd seen Noelle crying before the door shut itself and concealed her away from view. Mikey's hands lay lifelessly in the snow, inches away from the Nunchucks he'd dropped when he'd realized the adversity of the entire situation. All he could do was attempt to swallow the knot in his throat while panic seeped into his entire being. His heart raced and a cold sweat broke out across his lime-green skin, his lower lip trembling over his mistake at protecting Noelle from the Kraang, an enemy he'd faced hundreds of times and should have had absolutely no problem in dealing with, never mind the fact that he'd been outnumbered.

And so, the hysteria that he'd attempted to keep bubbled up finally overflowed.

"They're going to kill me!" Mikey gasped as his hands flew off the snow and covered the sides of his head, his fingers gripping the cloth of his mask. "I lost her! Oh man oh man oh man!" He paced back and forth on the alabaster ground and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm his speeding heart, his mind in a complete frenzy of fear, anger and despair. His best friend was gone, and he'd been able to do nothing to prevent that from happening. Why had he fought? He should've grabbed her and run instead of risking their safety and fighting back. Honestly, he was just so used to fighting off his enemies with his brothers that he hadn't even considered the fact that Noelle didn't have a weapon with her. Once again, he'd messed up.

"Are you serious?! Did that really just happen?"

Mikey paused his mindless amble as a familiar voice cut through the air. Karai stood at the bottom of the hill, no longer in her usual armor but donning a simple black jacket instead. Her face was twisted into one of disappointment as she regarded the turtle. "How could you just let her go? Now we're all screwed."

"Don't you think I know that I messed up?!" Mikey snapped back, catching the girl off-guard at his out-of-character attitude. "I know I'm a screw up! I let her go, and it's all my fault!" His eyes shimmered with tears that he hastily wiped away. Never had he felt so angry or disappointed in himself.

Karai's ruby lips formed a thin line as she considered the gravity of the situation. What they needed to do was come up with some sort of plan, but there was no way it would happen with just the two teenagers. His brothers needed to get involved as well. "Listen, go get your brothers. I'll actually help you guys out, but only because I'm not in a hurry to have my life taken over by some stupid alien race, you got it? Tell Leo I'll meet him tonight at the pier."

Before Mikey could even promise to do so, the Kunoichi took off running, leaving him alone once more with his worrisome thoughts. He knew she was right; there was no time to waste if they wanted to save not only Earth, but Noelle as well. He needed to face his brothers and tell them what happened; if they ended up angry with him then so be it. All he wanted to do was get Noelle back.

Fighting back the melancholy thoughts that his brain threatened to succumb to, Mikey took a deep breath, picked up his Nunchucks, and forced his shaking legs to run down the hill. It wasn't that he was scared to talk to his brothers, he was just beyond worried about Noelle. He remembered how miserable her mom had looked in the video they'd discovered in the Kraang hideout, and he felt like his heart would break if something like that happened to the girl who had grown to mean the world to him.

When he reached the bottom of the hill, he turned towards the small pile of blankets and bolted over, his hand immediately reaching out for the sketchbook Noelle had used. He opened it up to the page she'd drawn on and gently ran a finger over the paper, envisioning her with the pencil and sketching with a smile on her face. He pressed the book to his plastron, took a deep breath, and hurried over to the nearby sewer entrance that they'd climbed out of earlier. He practically flung the cover off as he promptly climbed down the ladder, dragging the lid back over the hole before dropping down into the dim tunnels, his heart pounding as he pushed himself into breakneck speed.

"Help!" he bellowed throughout the corridor, his voice echoing over the dripping walls. Mikey wanted one of his brothers to run out to him so he could get aid as soon as possible. All he kept seeing as he ran was Noelle's crying face, and it positively stung. He tripped and landed face-first on the soiled ground, but he wasted no time in pushing himself back onto his feet and continuing his sprint. "Somebody help!" His throat was clogged by knots as he bit his trembling lip to prevent himself from crying. It wouldn't do any good, and he definitely didn't want to appear weak in front of his brothers, not when he'd already goofed up. He had to be positive; that was what he was good at. "I'm going to get her back, I'm going to get her back," he repeatedly whispered to himself as he turned a corner and skid along the ground. Retaining his footing, he pushed himself even harder, knowing that every passing second was more time being separated from the blonde girl who had taken over his heart. He couldn't lose his best friend, especially to jerks like the Kraang.

By the time he reached the lair he was panting, not because he was out of shape, but because the whole emotional aspect of the situation was just exhausting. He vaulted over the turnstile and collapsed on his knees, his eyes feverishly searching around for somebody he could reach out to. Fortunately, Donnie, April, Casey, and Leo were all watching something on the TV while Raph played on the arcade machine. All heads turned to look at the frantic reptile as soon as they heard him gasping for breath, April instantaneously leaping to her feet as she ran over to check on him.

"Mikey? What's wrong?" Her brows furrowed together in concern when she noticed somebody was missing, a sinking feeling gnawing in the pit of her stomach. She didn't even need to rely on her psychic abilities to understand something terrible had happened. "Where's Noelle?!"

"The Kraang..." Mikey frantically breathed out, his eyes wide and full of tears, "...the Kraang took her."

"Are you serious?" Leo exclaimed, no longer interested in the television he'd been glued to moments before. Donnie remained silent as he clicked the power button on the remote, his mouth widened in disbelief over what he'd just heard. The leader of the group marched over to his youngest brother, his steps heavy and fists clenched tightly together. "How did this happen?"

"There were too many, and Noelle didn't have a weapon with her," Mikey attempted to explain as he gradually climbed onto his feet. "I was surrounded by all those alien dudes and then two of them took her back to their spaceship thing." He peered down at his feet, his hands hanging limply at his side. "I lost her. She's gone and it's all my fault."

"Don't say that," April comforted, her hand rubbing the back of his shell. "We'll get her back."

"That's right!" Casey enthusiastically agreed as walked over to the red head's side, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Nobody messes with my friend! Leave it to Casey Jones to get her back!"

April rolled her eyes. "No offense Jones, but this isn't something you can do by yourself. We need a plan."

"Well, we do have the advantage in knowing where the hideout is," Donnie explained while standing up. "All we need to do is enter it without drawing too much attention."

"And we need to do it tonight," Leo added on. "Looks like we're doing this before New Years Eve, and good thing too. For all we know, they could be putting their plan into motion any time now."

Mikey suddenly remembered what he had to tell Leo, the thought blank from his consciousness since he'd ventured back into the sewers in a hurry. "Oh, uh, Karai said she wanted to meet you at the pier tonight. I saw her at the park."

Leo frowned and folded his arms over his chest. "Thanks for telling me, but what were you doing in the park in broad daylight? That was incredibly stupid of you."

"Oh, lay off Leo!" April snapped as she defensively stood in front of Mikey, his head lowered with a crestfallen expression on his face. "What's so wrong about two friends enjoying Christmas together? He doesn't deserve to be talked to like that and you know it!"

"Alright, enough already," Raph interrupted as he stepped in between April and Leo, both of them staring at him in surprise. It wasn't very often that the hothead was the calming voice of reason in the middle of a fight. "Point is, Noelle is gone and we've gotta get her back." He raised a brow at Mikey, who had finally lifted his face up. "Did Karai seem like she was up to something?"

"I don't know...I don't think so," the freckled terrapin hesitantly responded. "She was just acting all mad at me and stuff."

"Probably because she knows we're going to be in big trouble if Noelle is forced to help the Kraang out," Leo stated. He took a deep breath and rubbed the sides of his head. "Fine, I'll find her later. Donnie, let's figure out a way to break into the building. I'll meet you in the lab."

"Sure then Leo." Donnie watched his older brother saunter over to the lab before he turned his attention over to Mikey. The orange-masked turtle shuffled his feet before he took a deep breath and glanced at April, who stared back at the turtle with almost a pitying look in her eyes.

"Look, Mikey-"

"No, he's right. It was incredibly stupid of me." The air was silent as Mikey looked at Donnie and Raph. "Blame me. It's my fault."

The remaining group was surprised at Mikey's anger and depression at himself. He always jumped back to his feet with a smile, no matter how often he messed up. He was the one who kept things in the group going, who was always positive and enthusiastic no matter how dire the situation was. To see him looking so defeated was alarming. It just wasn't him.

Raph sighed and placed a hand on his brother's shell. He wasn't one for pep talks, but there was no way he was just going to continue to let his little brother be hard on himself. "Listen, things happen. There's no use in worrying about it now, you know? We'll get her back."

"But what if we don't? What if she and her mom are gone forever and I never end up finding out how she feels?"

Raph blinked in confusion. "How she feels? What do you mean?"

"I mean that I...that I..."

April stepped in and wrapped an arm around Mikey, pulling him gently away from the group as a sort of rescue from him having to explain himself. She knew what he meant and he deserved to know the answer. "Come with me. I have something to show you." She ignored the puzzled expressions on the boys' faces and pulled Mikey gently by the hand towards Noelle's room. He didn't resist but his eyes were wide with curiosity as he followed, wondering what she was planning to show him. He tried not to drag his feet as he realized that only hours before, he'd been holding Noelle's hand as he'd pulled her down the same hallway to celebrate Christmas together.

When they arrived at the door, April looked at Mikey and gently smiled, though her eyes were brimmed with sadness. "Go inside, and you'll find what you're looking for."

Mikey didn't understand what she could possibly mean, but he slowly nodded anyways and stood back so she could open the door and turn the lights on for him.

[The Amazing Spiderman 2-Ground Rules]

He lingered in the doorway for but a moment as April took a step backwards and allowed him entry into the room, the air filled with a painful silence. Mikey swallowed as he took in the sight of art supplies and the neatly made bed, the room smelling strongly of Noelle like she was still around. He stepped forward and regarded everything sadly, his hand trailing across her dresser and picking up only mere specks of dust. She had taken care of the room and her belongings like they were all precious to her; this lair had become her home.

He walked to the back of the room, fighting off the unpleasant feeling of rocks in his stomach as he basked in her atmosphere, recalling the first night she'd spent there and how he'd brought her pizza and done everything he could to make her feel welcome. He could still see her disbelieving face when he'd actually talked to her and made her feel like she wasn't invisible. They hadn't really been friends at that point, but he'd already been drawn to her because he could see how nice and gentle she really was, not to mention she had never made him feel like a freak or outcast, even when they'd first met in the alleyway.

And now she was gone.

He noticed her art easel, turned away from the door like there was something there Noelle hadn't wanted anybody to see. He swallowed the building knot in his throat and rounded the corner so he could see what she'd done, unsure of what to even expect.

What he saw took his breath away. It was an amazing painting of him, smiling and looking perfectly content in a wooded area. His mouth opened in awe as he studied the art work, absolutely captivated by how beautifully she'd captivated him. His finger tips trailed over the piece carefully, like he was touching a treasure, his breath caught in his throat as he felt the texture tickling his finger tips.

"She made this painting...of me?"

"Yeah." April remained in the doorway and smiled sadly. "She looked so happy too, just smiling and lost in her own little world."

He swallowed and lowered himself to his knees, his hand not leaving the painting above. "Does this mean she likes me too?" His eyes didn't leave the picture.

"Without a doubt, which means you really need to save the girl now, right?"

"I will." Mikey took a deep breath and ran his fingers over the canvas carefully, his eyes narrowed in determination as his voice lowered to a whisper. He pulled out his phone and looked at his background of the two of them smiling. "I'm coming for you, Noelle."

[+]

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Noelle sat upright against the back of the vessel's walls, her body shaking and hands tied firmly together behind her back. Her cheeks were wet with tear stains and her eyes stung from fallen tears and the restraint to not shed anymore. The knot in her throat and rocks in her stomach made breathing nearly feel impossible. She tried to not sob like a little girl as the aliens took her farther and farther away from her friends and family, the feeling of not knowing what they would do to her sending unpleasant goosebumps across her skin. Her lips quivered together while her stomach churned unpleasantly and the inside of her body trembled.

She didn't want to give her captors the satisfaction of seeing her cry, but it was getting closer and closer to unpreventable as she continually pictured Mikey's distressed face, his hands outstretched towards her as she'd been taken away from him. To reach out to him and feel nothing but air as the distance between them increased brought a depressed feeling to her heart that border-lined on hopelessness. She just wanted to go back to the park and continue having a good time with Mikey. Maybe if she'd been smart and had her weapon with her none of this would have happened and they could have escaped.

She watched with terrified awe as the space vessel hovered over to the docks, the sparse people promenading below completely oblivious to the invisible craft gliding above their heads. She wondered how many times she'd been walking obliviously around the city without a single thought of an inconspicuous ship flying around buildings and through her neighborhood.

She swallowed nervously as the vessel lowered down in front of one of the piers and sank below the water, her stomach tightening up into one nervous ball as she noticed a dark tunnel in front of them. Lights suddenly turned on, providing clarity for the bots as they navigated through the corridor with practiced ease. An uncomfortable silence enshrouded Noelle as she perceived only the sounds of the craft navigating itself through the water and towards its destination.

A door eventually appeared, its panels widening open to permit the ship entry. After a gradual dip in the ground, the vessel lifted itself out of a pool of water, nearly blinding Noelle as they were immediately enshrouded by ivory walls and purples lines of light running along the sides. She noticed they were in a hangar of some sort, as there were other identical looking hovercraft all lined up in neat rows. The Kraang remained silent as the pilot lowered the craft down into a vacant spot, only turning to look at Noelle when the machine turned off. Her legs shook nervously as one of the robots walked over to her and grabbed her roughly by the arm, it's mechanical fingers digging into her flesh.

"You're hurting me. Please stop," Noelle pleaded as she was yanked forward. Truthfully, she was alright. She'd received plenty of bruises during training, none severe, but bruises nonetheless. She just didn't want to give off the impression that they needed to force her to behave, as she was more than willing to comply with their orders if it meant being safe until the turtles somehow found her. She just had to hope that they would, otherwise everything would have been for nothing and she simply couldn't accept that, no matter how helpless she currently felt.

Fortunately, the Kraang's grip loosened on her arm, though not by much. "If the one known as Noelle does the thing known as running, then Kraang will do that which is known as hurting." It's rambled warning was clear. Noelle nodded and followed the robot off the ship and into the hangar.

Other bots ambled around, either working on the space crafts or standing guard. If they noticed Noelle, she couldn't tell. She merely lowered her head and trailed behind the Kraang who pulled her along. The other robots who had been in the ship with her went off on their own separate ways except for one who stood on the other side of her, probably in case she attempted to run. They made their over to a set of doors guarded by three Kraang bots, who did nothing as they stepped to the side and allowed their comrades entry with the prisoner.

The doors automatically opened to reveal an empty elevator. Taking a deep breath, Noelle followed her captors into the elevator and tried not to overthink the grim situation as soon as the doors slid shut. She bit her lower lip and did her best to not tremble as the lift smoothly rose off the ground and up towards the unknown, not even calmed by the comically typical music that radiated throughout the mobile unit. She could feel her heart pounding as they rose higher and higher, until it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. Eventually the elevator came to a stop, the doors opened, and she was once more forced to move.

They were in a narrow hallway with multiple doors on either side. She was led down the tunnel of alabaster floors and walls until the Kraang holding on to her came to a halt in front of a door with a circular window of glass positioned in the upper middle. A black panel with raised buttons labeled by numbers was outside the room. The bot opposite of her quickly input a code so that the door slid open, revealing a small room with a bench and a window to view the city. It was a cruel way to taunt the prisoner with a taste of what freedom looked like, and yet keeping it out reach so there was no chance to attain it. She bristled as she felt her captor reach into her coat pocket and pull out the cellphone, taking away the one chance she had of getting help. It patted the rest of her as well to make sure she wasn't carrying any weapons or any other items.

Noelle felt her hands go free as the rope was cut off before she was forced out of her coat and harshly pushed into the room, the door firmly sealing shut behind her. Without a word, the Kraang disappeared back down the hallway, leaving her to press her fingers against the door glass and look around for some sort of sign that they were other prisoners on the same floor as her. Tears filled her eyes at the desire to bang on the door and scream for help, but it was a pointless thing to do, for who would hear her or even be able to break her out? Water trailed down her cheeks as her shoulders drooped in defeat, wondering how a day that had started off so wonderfully ended up in the most dismal way possible.

She looked up at the window overlooking the city and saw Mikey's face reflected back at her with his usual silly grin, as if he was telling her that everything would be alright. His explored blurred as more tears fell out and she nonchalantly shuffled her way over to the bench that was placed directly in front of the window. She gradually sat down with a sniffle and propped her forehead against the glass. She pulled her knees up to her chest and shivered, wishing that she was back with Mikey in the park. There weren't enough words to describe how much she missed him and cared for him. He had helped her open up and believe in herself, and for that she would be grateful, but she was hoping that he would help her one more time.

"Please," she whispered as her eyes shut, "please come find me."

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"So after I meet up with Karai tonight, we'll break into the Kraang's headquarters and rescue both Noelle and her mom," Leo briefed his brothers and Casey as they stood around Donnie's computer desk. "We need a plan of escape that'll keep the Kraang off our tails, and a way to enter without attracting too much attention. I say we sneak in from the top and locate the prison cells from there since there's usually never any guards on the roof."

"Or we can just charge in through the front doors and deal with those jerks head on," Raph gritted out between his teeth as he punched a fist into his open palm. He hadn't really said anything, but he was beyond angry that Noelle had been kidnapped and wanted to get her back. In a way, she had become a sister to him just like April, and if anything happened to her there'd be a very livid turtle to deal with.

"Oh yeah, that's really intelligent, Muscle Head," Donnie scoffed with an eye roll, ignoring the way Raph glared at him. "I say we go with Leo's plan to get in. As for the way out, we-"

"Guys, we have a problem," April interrupted as she briskly walked in with Mikey following close behind, both of them appearing concerned.

Casey raised a brow. "Woah, what's going on Red?"

"What are we going to tell Noelle's family? They're expecting her over later and are totally going to freak if she doesn't show up," April explained with hands on her hips. "We can't just not say anything!"

The others all exchanged uneasy glances. They were so wrapped up in the kidnapped that they had completely forgotten about Noelle visiting with her family later.

"What if we just say she is sick?" Leo suggested. "April can call Noelle's grandma or aunt and tell them that she is throwing up or something."

"But she just talked to them a couple hours ago and probably sounded fine. How is she suddenly going to start feeling sick when she was perfectly okay this morning?" the redhead retaliated before she let out a frustrated sigh.

The rest of the group remained quiet as they attempted to think of some sort of answer to their dilemma. Mikey tapped his foot against the ground and frowned as he thought really hard about what to do while trying to keep the worry and sadness he felt under control. He still felt extremely guilty, but he knew that getting upset wouldn't benefit anybody, especially Noelle, who really needed their help right now. He crossed his arms across his chest and closed his eyes before an idea came to mind.

"What if I went and talked to Noelle's grandma?"

All eyes focused on the youngest turtle in shock.

"Are you serious? You'd give the old woman a heart attack," Raph countered. "Nobody wants to look out the window and see your face."

"Besides," Leo continued, "we still want to say out of sight of humans. The less who know about us, the better."

"But April's dad knows about us and he was fine!" Mikey argued back, determined to go through with his idea."Noelle's grandma is gonna freak out if she doesn't find out what happened."

"And I suppose her finding out that her granddaughter had been kidnapped will help things? Besides, we didn't really have a choice with Mr. O'Neil; he was being attacked." Donnie didn't mean to add more stress to the situation, but he really wanted Mikey to think about what was going on before acting, something that the energetic terrapin wasn't usually known for doing.

"But we need to do something! I lost her so I should do it! It's all my fault!"

Silence once again filled the room at Mikey's outburst, his hands covering the side of his head as he crouched down and stared at the ground with melancholy eyes. It was an unfamiliar side of him that his brothers weren't used to; he was usually optimistic and encouraging, but this was the position of somebody who felt defeated. Nobody said anything for a moment until Leo crouched down in front of his youngest brother with his wrists resting on his kneecaps.

"Mikey, this isn't your fault at all. It could have happened to any of us, but unfortunately it was you who was attacked. You did your best to protect her and that's what really matters in the end. You're right though; we should talk to her family and let them know what happened. If you really want to talk to them, then I won't stop you, but we will be nearby just in case." Mikey lifted his head, his baby blue eyes filled with both relief and worry. "You need to understand though that her family might not be as kind to us as Noelle is, so please don't get your hopes too high."

Mikey nodded and stood up. "Can we go now then? I kinda...wanna get it done and over with."

The irritation Raph had felt moments before dissipated as he placed a hand on Mikey's shoulder and gripped it tightly, receiving a small appreciative smile from the freckled reptile. "We're with you, little brother."

"We'll be back, Sensei!" Leo yelled out to their father as he and his brothers prepared to leave the lair. April walked to the front to lead them to Sandra while Mikey closely followed her from behind, a bundle of nerves and eagerness. Being nervous was not his thing, but he was about to tell the grandma of the girl he really liked that her granddaughter had been taken away by the same people who took Savannah. He felt terrible about it, but it needed to be done.

Master Splinter remained in his sitting position inside of the dojo, his eyes opening to gaze upon the tree that grew in the center of the room. He remembered when he'd brought Noelle inside for the first time and how captivated she'd been with the tree. She had a way of finding beauty in everything, including his youngest son. He hoped within his heart that two of them would be reunited soon, for he felt that their existence now relied upon the other, just as his had with Tang Shen so long ago. Even now, there was still an ache in his heart as he thought about the love of his life and just how incomplete he was without her in his arms. He wouldn't wish that grief upon anybody.

"Good luck, my son," he voiced to the dojo, and closed his eyes once more.

[][][]

The walk over was devoid of any talking. All Mikey could do was think about Noelle and how frightened she must be, and that they really needed to hurry and find her. He was a messy mixture of feelings that involved being nervous, upset, angry, and worried. He just wanted his best friend back.

He'd come to accept the fact that what had happened wasn't entirely his fault, but a part of him still felt guilty. As they neared closer and closer to the house via rooftop, he felt sweat on his palms and his legs seemed like they were shaking. He didn't notice the occasional sympathetic glance his brothers and Casey would send his way; nobody blamed him but understood how he felt.

Donnie especially could relate to his little brother as he thought back to the time he and the others had accidentally mutated April's dad. The sickening guilt he'd held within over April's anger at him still occasionally reared its ugly head, so he did all he could to try and make a formula that would bring Kirby back to his human form. It wasn't easy, but if April could forgive him, then he was certain Noelle's grandma would too.

They at last arrived in a rather nice neighborhood of houses. Noelle pointed out a decent-sized one to the guys and nodded towards it. "That's the one," she informed them, thankful for the fact that the sun had lowered a great deal and provided very little visibility for anyone to see them. "I'll go down and talk to her, okay? Hide out on the side and wait for my signal." She was just about to jump down when Mikey spoke up.

"April? What if I screw up? What if I can't do this?"

It was unnerving how much self-doubt Mikey uncharacteristically had. April emphatically stared at him for a moment as she searched for the right words to say. "Mikey...I...listen, what you're about to do takes a lot of guts. I can't promise how things will turn out, but it's at least the right thing to do, and I'm hoping that her grandma will have enough sense to respect you for telling her. You guys may have saved the world a few times, but we're all also teenagers, and you and Noelle just happened to be outnumbered." She paused to see what Mikey would say, and instead he remained silent, but there was visibly more hope in his eyes. She patted his arm and smiled. "Just do your best, okay? This is for Noelle."

At the mention of his best friend's name, the orange-masked teen took a deep breath and nodded, fully intent on doing everything he could to protect Noelle and her family. He could do it, no matter how hard things felt. "Okay, dude, I'm ready."

April nodded and briskly glanced around to make sure nobody was around or watching them before she lowered herself down the side of the house they were on. The brothers and Casey silently followed after her, fully alert of their surroundings. The redhead pointed at the side of Noelle's uncle's house and the boys quickly rushed over while remaining quiet. They watched as she made her way up to the front door and knocked loudly on it three times.

A moment passed before the door was pulled open by Melanie. She blinked in confusion over seeing April but still stood back to allow the young teen entry. "Hi April. How are you? Please, come in."

April nodded and swallowed. "Thank you." She walked into the warm home, her stomach churning unpleasantly at the news that was about to be shared. "I apologize for showing up so suddenly, but I need to talk to Noelle's grandma. Is she around?"

Melanie's brows furrowed together. "Well, she is but...is everything okay? Where is Noelle?"

April bit her lower up and mentally rushed through excuses. "One of our friends needs to talk to her grandma. It's of utmost importance."

Panic seeped into hazel eyes. "What are you saying? April, where is my niece? What happened?"

"It isn't my place to say, but please trust me when I say you will have your answers in a moment. I just really to find your mother-in-law so my friend can explain the situation to her."

"What situation?! Where is this friend of yours?" Melanie's voice had grown loud, drowning out the tv playing in the background. Ella rushed into the living room, her eyes widened in worry.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

"I don't know!" Melanie snapped as she gestured at April. "She won't tell me!"

Nick and Sandra both stepped out of the kitchen, the older woman moving much more slowly than her son. Nick walked over to his frenzied wife and gently gripped her by the arm as he stared at her with concern. "Hunny, take a deep breath. What is going on?"

"It's my fault, sir," April apologized. Tears filled her eyes at the panic she had caused but she blinked them away. "Noelle and I have some friends who look very different from ordinary people, and one of them has requested to speak to your mother." She stared at the older woman, who remained calm though her pupils were filled with apprehension. "Please ma'am, I know you don't know me very well but this person cares about your granddaughter a lot and this would mean so much to him if you were to talk to him. Please."

All eyes focused on the elderly lady as she silently considered the teen's words before nodding. "Very well. Where do you wish for me to go, my dear?"

Relief flood April's face. "Thank you. I just need a room where a window can open. I know this sounds strange but he has a misunderstood appearance and doesn't wish to be seen."

"I understand. Here, right this way." April followed Sandra towards one of the back rooms, but not before she shot an apologetic expression to Melanie. The brunette's lower lip trembled as she gripped her husband's hand while her daughter continued to have a perplexed look on her face.

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"Is in here okay?" Sandra inquired as she entered into a sitting room where an easel and paint had been set up. It wasn't a large room by any means, but since it was in the corner of the house there were two modest-sized windows that provided a perfect view of the outdoors. "Please pardon the mess."

"Oh no! You're fine. I'm once again sorry for just suddenly showing up, but this really is important." April reached over to the left window and looked back for permission. "Is this fine to open?"

"Yes, that's alright."

With a meager grunt April unlocked the window and slid it open. She stuck her head out into the night and noticed right away where the boys had hidden themselves. She waved Mikey over and pulled her head back inside. The youngest turtle gulped and allowed himself to be gently pushed forward by Raph, who really didn't want to be in his brother's place at the moment.

"H-hello?"

Sandra's head lifted up at the voice as she slowly began wandering over to the window. "Hello, young man. I hear you wish to speak to me?"

[The Fault in Our Stars-Hazel Eulogy]

"Um ye-yeah, I...well..." Mikey's voice trailed off as he took a deep breath, his eyes shutting as he attempted to fight off his nerves. "I need to tell you something about Noelle."

The sadness in his voice said it all. The woman halted and placed a shaking hand over her heart. "My Noelle is gone, isn't she?"

Mikey stared out blankly ahead with his head tilted back against the brick wall. "The Kr-Kraang took her. I was outnumbered and tried to fight them off but they still t-took her and it'll all my fault. I'm so so sorry. I lost her." This time, he allowed the tears to fall down his face as he sniffled and tried not to freak out. He didn't know what reaction he was expecting, but he assumed it wouldn't be good. he was just a dumb turtle who had made another mistake, only this one hurt far worse than anything he'd done in the past.

Trails of tears slid down the old woman's leathery face as she stood at the window, but she did not look out. "Please, trust me to look upon you and not judge. Allow me that."

Mikey peered over at his brothers for support. Raph was shaking his head but Donnie and Casey nodded. Leo sighed and shrugged, leaving the solution completely up to his little brother. With a deep shaking breath, Mikey stepped out of the shadow and in front of the window, his eyes meeting the surprised blue pupils of an old lady. They both just stared at each other without saying a word while wet droplets rolled down their cheeks.

Instead of screaming, Sandra smiled gently and leaned her head closer to get a better look at the humanoid reptile standing before her. "Why, you're the same age as Noelle aren't you? You're still so young." She shakily reached a hand forward and wiped the remaining tears off of Mikey's face while he continued to just look at her with his mouth gaped open. A conversation from not too long ago made itself known in Sandra's mind as she studied the youthful creature before her, the corners of her lips turning up even higher. "You're Mikey, aren't you?"

His mouth widened even more. "Are you, like, psychic like April?"

"Mikey!" April hissed, not wanting everybody to know about her powers. Fortunately, the elderly woman just chuckled and shook her head.

"No, my dear, I am not. I just remember Noelle talking about you and it was obvious how much she cared for you."

Mikey's face lit up. "She did? Really?"

"Yes. I've never seen her look so happy, and I can tell just by looking at you that you feel the same way. I'm going to tell you a little secret, okay?" She leaned in and Mikey leaned in closer. "Love, especially young love, is so beautiful and precious. Cherish it."

'Even though I look like this?"

"Young man, appearances are meager. My granddaughter looked at you with her heart, and found both love and beauty. Will you do the same for her?"

A grin slowly spread across his face. "Of course! She's super pretty and I definitely love her!" His cheeks turned pink at what he'd said out loud, and judging by the sounds his brothers and Casey made, they were just as surprised. The only one who didn't look even remotely shocked was Donnie, who was simpering just as brightly as April. "I love her," he whispered into his hands before the grin returned. "I really, really love her."

"Then can you promise me that you'll do your best to find her? Please?" Sandra asked. She knew that Mikey might not be in love with her granddaughter, but he definitely cared a great deal about her and would obviously do whatever he could to make her happy. She was pleased that Noelle had given her heart to somebody so kind. "Now, the rest of you may come out."

Leo cleared his throat as he stepped out from behind the corner and rubbed his head in embarrassment. "Good evening, ma'am. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas. Do not be shy." She waited until all of the boys were standing next to Mikey before she allowed herself a good look at them. Like before, she smiled and showed no disgust. April stepped over to Sandra's side and grinned.

"And you call yourself ninjas?"

"Hey, we had limited options, Red," Casey replied with a smirk.

"So how did you know we were there?" Raph asked, impressed by the old woman's perception.

Sandra winked. "I'm an artist. I always noticed the smallest detail, like how Mikey looked over at you, or the shell I saw popping up in the other window."

"Nice job Donnie," Casey sarcastically complimented, earning a glare from the taller turtle.

"Thank you all for taking care of my granddaughter," Sandra genuinely stated. "Now please go find her, and when you do find her, tell her I love her and am so proud of her for staying strong."

"You can count on us," Leo confirmed. "We'll get her back. I promise."

"Booyakasha! Let's go!" Mikey bellowed before he took off running, Leo groaning at his brother's loudness before he and the others followed. April jumped out the window after them and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry. It's a habit." She shrugged and then quickly waved. "Bye!"

[+]

Sandra was left alone in silence, her smile turned downwards as she thought of how frightened Noelle must be. Still, a part of her felt hope. The turtles and two humans her granddaughter befriended seemed like wonderful and caring people who truly cared for Noelle, and she somehow just knew things would be okay.

The door behind her swung open, revealing the anxious faces of her family. She smiled and went to sit down in front of her easel. "No need for alarm. Everything is fine. The turtles just told me Noelle was kidnapped but not to worry because they were going to get her back. All is well."

Ella burst into laughter over her grandma's joke while Nick and Melanie just stared at her in disbelief.